{"id":14075,"date":"2025-12-22T17:13:37","date_gmt":"2025-12-22T22:13:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/whomakesthenews.org\/?p=14075"},"modified":"2025-12-22T17:14:32","modified_gmt":"2025-12-22T22:14:32","slug":"gmmp30-fundamental-change-in-representation-of-women-needed-in-european-news-media","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/whomakesthenews.org\/es\/gmmp30-fundamental-change-in-representation-of-women-needed-in-european-news-media\/","title":{"rendered":"GMMP+30: Fundamental change in representation of women needed in European news media"},"content":{"rendered":"

Despite decades of advancement in education, politics, and economic participation, women remain dramatically underrepresented in European news media, according to GMMP 2025 findings<\/a> presented at the most recent WACC Europe online discussion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The key regional findings, delivered by Abida Pehlic<\/a>, GMMP Central & Eastern Europe regional and Bosnia & Herzegovina national coordinator and president of coordinating organisation Novi Put<\/a>, reveal troubling patterns in how European media portray women across 25 participating countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key Findings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Women constitute just 27% of those seen, heard, or spoken about in traditional media and 31% in internet news across Europe, despite representing more than half the population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pehlic also indicated how the data shows persistent bias in how journalists define women. Nearly half (48%) of women news subjects had no stated occupation, the highest percentage among all categories. When occupations were noted, women were disproportionately identified as homemakers and parents\u2014categories used as \u201clast resort\u201d descriptors, Pehlic said, when no other occupation was provided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Women are also primarily featured providing popular opinion and personal experience (48% and 45% respectively) rather than expert analysis, suggesting they are not considered authorities requiring specialized knowledge. Pehlic pointed out that this pattern holds even as women\u2019s professional engagement outside the home reaches unprecedented levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The research revealed that gender-based violence receives minimal coverage, with only 2% of stories in traditional print and television news and 3% in online media addressing this issue\u2014despite the fact that it affects one in three women and girls worldwide. Meanwhile, women are most frequently featured in stories about celebrity, arts, and media (55% of such stories), perpetuating stereotypical representations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese figures show how much still needs to change,\u201d said Ralf Peter Reimann, president of WACC Europe, who moderated the discussion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Victim Narratives Persist<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps most concerning, women are predominantly portrayed as victims in news coverage. They appear as victims of non-domestic sexual violence (16%), other non-domestic crimes (17%), and domestic crimes. \u201cWomen become the top victim categories,\u201d Pehlic noted, even while approximately 27% of female news subjects were identified as survivors rather than victims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Real-World Implications<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Pehlic illustrated these findings with a recent example from her hometown. Following a femicide case, local media reported sensationally on where the victim had her hair cut and which gym she attended, completely failing to address the broader issue of gender-based violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMedia still tend to report on women in a very sensational way,\u201d Pehlic explained. \u201cThey missed the opportunity to tackle the issue of gender-based violence and femicide, to raise awareness about a catastrophic problem affecting our society.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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